wright



led April 2Q,

Patented May 29, 1923w UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA ORVILLE WRIGHT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE '.lL. H. SYMING-TON CONL'PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., BL CORPORATION OF DELA WARE.

DRAFT RIGGING.

Application filed April 29, 1920. 4dei-iai No. 377,477.

' declare the following to be a full, clear,

' if been illustrated,"

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to maire and use 'the saine.

The invention relates to draft rigging or railway cars and more particularly to that classv of draft rigging especially designed for application to the underifraines oi `freight cars, and consists in ynoviding, in combina i tion With the car sills, new and useful iinproveinents tor connecting the coupler to the cushioning` mechanism and for connecting the cushioning mechanism to the car underfraine so as to produce a simple, strong7 ellicient and reliable draft rigging. To this end the main features of my invention, broadly considered, consist in proA vidingj inicornhination with a slidahly connected yolre and coupler, a front stop nicchanism adapted to provide a plurality of spaced points or support for the 'forward follower of the cushioning mechanism, and a rearistop ineniherso constructed and an ranged as to suitably brace the cusliii'ining mechanism and connected parts and to transmit; excessive loads to the car underralne without detriment to the latter.

The invention further consists in the various elements and combinations ol' ele ments hereinafter set forth, the novel tea- 'tures oit the `invention being' pointed out in the claims at Athe end of the specifici-ation.

Referring 'to` the dravvinojs, wherein a specific embodiment of the invention has `Figure l is a vieuT half in plan and halt in horizontal section of the center draft sillsof a freight car showing the improved draft rigging connected tlicrcto. the section heilig taken on line 1--l o Fig.

Fig. 2

is u .lomitudiiial vertical section taken on `line Y ing casting, end sill and coupler carry iron being shown in section. i i

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on 65 line 4i-at of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a similarl view on line 5--5 ol l? ig. l. t

-Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on line G-G of Fig. l., the arrows adjacent the 60 ends oi' the section lines awel, 5-5 and GMG .indicating` the direction in which these sections are viewed.

.Figa 7 is a. top plan View illustrating a slight modification in the forni of yoke and rear stop mechanism from 'that shown in Fig. l.

8 is a central. longitudinal vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 7.

Throughout the specification and drawings like parts are designated hv lilre reference characters. l`

The channel center sills of the car con struction are designated by the reference numeral 1. 2 indicates'the end sills7 3 a 75 conventional torni oit striking casting, and 4 a coupler carry iron. All of the said parts may be of any suitable or desirable construction. Each sill l is provided with a plurality or' longitudinally extending- 80 slots, and to the inner face of each sill is connected a cheek plate or front stop casting each of which is provided with a pair or slots 6 and which are adapted, when the cheek plates are in position, to register with said slots in. the sills l. Each cheek plate may he provided With a boss 5% on the outer vlace thereof, said bosses heing adapted to surround the edges of the slots 6 and and to entendv through the 90 slots in the center sills l. Un their inner or adjacent faces the cheek plates are provided With inwardly extending lips or flanges 9 which surround the side edges ot the slot G, and if desired these flanges Si) 95 may be cut away as at l() so as to provide clearance spaces for the side tacesknp` the voire hereinafter described. The rear slots i' ol'V each cheelr plate are also provided with inwardly directed flanges l1V similar Ylo() lo those hmfeinbeliore described with reference to the slots G. and spaced from the rear edge oiI each flange ll and preferably connccted thereto by the Webs l@ each of the said plates is pro-vided with an inwardly directed flange 13. lf desired, the top and bottom edges of this flange 13 may be reinforced by the flanges 14 clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Each cheek plate is firmly secured to the adjacent sill by means of a plurality of rivets 15.

Located between the sills is the yoke or coupler connecting means 16 which is preferably of the so-called vertical type, and which is provided at its forward end with a hooded head 17, the vertical side walls of which are provided with longitudinally extending key receiving slots 18. The forward portions of these slots are preferably lfurnished with reinforcing members 19 to increase the bearing at these points for the coupler key`20, and it is to clear these enlargements 19 that I cut away the flanges 9 at the points 10 as hereinbefore described. The key 20 is adapted to slidably-connect the coupler 21 to the said yoke 16, the said key in the normal position of the gear engaging the rear wall of the slot 22 in the coupler and engaging at its forward edges against the forward ends of the slots 18 in the said yoke head, the said key being also adapted to extend through the slots (3 in the cheek plates and normally positioned at an intermediate point in the slots. It may here be noted that in the normal position of the parts the rear end of the slots 18 and the rear end of the slots G coincide. This construction permits an inward movement of the coupler independent of the yoke under bui'ng Stresses. Seated between the arms of the yoke 16 and engaging the rear end of the coupler stem is a filler block 23, the said block being provided with a key slot 24, and'it may be cored out as shown at 25 to lighten the same without detriment to its strength. A second key 26 is adapted to pass through the'slot 24 and have its end p0rtions extend through the cheek plate slots 7 and in the normal position of the parts the forward edges of this key engage abutments formed by the forward extremities of the said slots 7. The rear wall 27 of the block 23 'normally projects a slight distance beyond the vertical end walls of the flanges 13 formed on the cheek plates.

At u suitable distance in rear of the cheek plates I provide a rear stop member 28 which may also form the center filler between the outwardly extending portions ofthe bolster 29. The said stop member may be provided with forwardly extending' follower engaging lugs 30 which areVsuitably braced by the webs andflanges 31. and intermediate these stop lugs 30 the stop member is also preferably provided with an abutting face 32 which is also suitably braced by a pluralityr of vertically extending webs 33 and a transversely extending web 34. It will of course be 4understood that the combined back stop and center filler is suitably connected to the adjacent sills by means of rivets 35, and preferably some of these rivets also serve to connect the `vertical members of the bolster 29 to the adjacent sill faces. The top and bottom webs 31 are preferably extended laterally and joined to the side walls of the casting 23 so as to form respectively the upper and lower horizontal walls therefor. Likewise the transversely extendin web 34 is continued in effect forward of t le flan e 32 by the laterally extending centrally disposed webs 31 which merge into the stop faces 30. It will be evident that these stop lugs 3() are braced at the top and bottmn, respectively, by extensions from the u per wall and the lower wall or floor web o the castingr and at the center by the extensions from the bulring floor or web 34 of the slid casting. Intermediate the center web 84 and the upper and lower braces I also preferably provide additional braces for these stop fas 3o. These additional braces extend from the marginal edges of the web 32, as will be clear from an inspeetion of Figs. 2 luid 4 of the drawings. y terminating the bottom wall or floor web of the casting at u point adjacent the fiange or web 32 I provide for the entry of the rivets 35 between the wall and the buliing web 34, and at the same time provide a casting which is easy to manufacture since the opening between the said will and the web 34 permits the read removal of the cores used in the production of the casting. The rear end of the oke 16 is normally preferably spaced a s' ht distance from the face 32 of the stop casting 28.

Within the yoke arms and bearing at its forward end against the face 27 of the block 23 and at its rear end against the inner face of the rearwall of the yoke. is the cushioning mechanism 36 which is only `diagraminatically illustrated and which comprises a.'

front follower 37. n rear follower 38 and any suitable cushioning mechanism interposed between the said followers. lIn the normal position of the parts as illustrated in Fig. 1 it will be seen that the rear follower 88 en gages the forward faces of the stop lugs 30. and the front follower engages the rear fue 27 of the block Under hailing movements the coupler is moved rearwardly and forces with it the block 23 which in turn moves the front follower 37 and transmits the load to the cushionin, r mechanism 36 which in turn is supported by the rear follower 38 and the stop lugs 30. 0n a forward movement the yoke and coupler move together and the load is transmitted from the yoke to the cushioning mechanism and from the latter to the block 23 and through the key 2G to the car sills. It often happens that the loads to which a draft rigging is subjected exceed the capacity of the cushioning mechanism and cause a bending of the followers lll Laer/'nre 32 of the rear stop 28 and the load will be carried at three spaced points,` namely, the stop lugs Bdand the abutting face 32. If the excessive load is caused by draft strains which would bend the key 26 any bending movement of this key would immediately permit the follower 37 to engage the stop faces 13 of the cheek plates and the excessive load be again transmitted to the car sills at four spaced points.

Figs. 7 and S show a slight modification of the rear stop member, and in these iigures the rear end of the yoke 39 is provided 'with a plurality of spaced Walls 40 which are connected by a plurality of vertically extending Webs 4l and a transversely ei;- tending Web 42, the said structure forming a strong loadtransmitting` member which is adapted normally to contact the abuttingl face 43 provided on the back stop 44. In this form of my device the entire buffing load is transmitted directly to the central portion of the back stop, and lugs, such as 30 hereinbefore described, are not employed. In both forms of my device I have illustrated the yoke supported at an intermediate point by a conventional form of carry iron 45 which may be connected to the lower outstanding' flanges of the sills l in any suitable manner. F or convenience, the carry iron 45 is shown connected by means of a plurality of bolts 46.

Having now fully described my invention, although it is to be understood that the words used are to be taken in their descriptive and not in their limited sense. what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

l.. 1n a draft rigging, the combination with the center sills, of a coupler, a yoke slidably connected thereto, a cushioning mechanism within the yoke, a block interposed betwcen the coupler and said mechanism andv movable in one direction with the said coupler, means for connecting' said block to the said sills, said means serving to transmit draft strains thereto, and means carried by the said sills and projecting' inwardly therefroi'n for receiving draft strains when the same exceed the capacity of the first named means.

Q. ln a draft rigging, the combination with the center sills, of a coupler, a yoke, a cushioning mechanism within the yoke, cheek plates carried by the sills. abutments on said cheek plates, and means interposed bet-Ween the coupler and cushioningr mech.-

anism for normally' spacing said mechanism from said abutments, said means being movable by excessive draft strains to permit said cushioning' mechanism to contact with said abutnients.

3. ln a draft rigging, the combination with the car sills. of cheek plates connected to thc adjacent faces of said sills.` each of said cheek plates being provided `with a plurality of spaced abutments, one of said abutments on cach of said plates beingr adapted to receive draft strains and the other of said abutments being' adapted to engage a movable element of the cushioning,l mechanism under excessive draft strains.

4. In a draft rigging, the combination with the center sills and a coupler, of a yoke` slidably connected to said coupler, a cushioning mechanism Within the yoke, means interposed between the coupler and cushioningl mechanism adapted to transmit buffing forces to said mechanism, and adapted to transmit draft forces to the said sills, and stops carried by the said sills said stops being adapted to engage the said mechanism under excessive draft strains.

5. In a draft rigging, the combination with the center sills, a coupler, a vertical yoke slidably connected thereto, of slotted cheek plates connected to the adjacent faces of said sills, a cushioning,` mechanism Within the yoke, and means carried by the said sills and interposed between the coupler and cushioning mechanism for transmitting draft forces to the said sills and transmitting buiiing' forces to the said mechanism, and stops carried by the said cheek plates said stops being' adapted to engage the cushioning mechanism under excessive draft strains to provide additional means for transmitting,` said excessive draft strains to the car sills.

6. l'n a. draft rigging, the combination with the car sills. a coupler, a key connected yoke and front stop mechanism, a rear stop, means carried by said last named stop for engaging' said cushioning mechanism and additional means on said stop for engaging said yoke upon a distortion o f said cushion.- ng mechanism under excessive buliinp; loads, said yoke normally' being sj'mced from said rear stop.

7. In a draft rigging", the combination with the center sills, of front stop members connected thereto, a rear stop .member and a second supplemental stop member positioned in rear thereof and connected to the said sills, a coupler. a yoke slidably connected. thereto, cushioning mechanism within the yoke and arranged bet-Ween said first named stop members, said mechanism beingz normally adapted to engage one of the said stop members and being spaced from the other, and means carried by the sills and interposed between the coupler and cushioning mechanism for transmitting draft forces tosaid sills, said other stop member being adapted to engage the cushioning mechanism when the draft strains exceed the capacity of said means.

8. In An draft rig hg, the combination with the car sills, o a coupler, a key connected yoke and front sto mechanism. a follower, and means movab e with said follower for engaging said coupler, said follower being provded with stop engaginv faces, the coupler engaging face of sai means and said stop Iengaging faces of the Vsaid follower being arranged in diilerent vertical planes.

9. In a draft rigging, the combination with car sills, of n coupler, a yoke connected thereto, stop members carried by the car sills, a follower interposed between said sills and rovided with stop engaging faces 20 in one p ane, and means for transmitting stresses from said follower to said `stop members in a dierent lane.

In testimony whereo I aix my signature.

IRA OR VILLE WRIGHT. 

